Hair dryer bonnet



Nov. 1, 1966 J. H. CLARK, JR

HAIR DRYER BONNET 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 26, 1963 ATTO R N EY Nov. 1, 1966 J, H. CLARK, JR

HAIR DRYER BONNET 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 26, 1963 1 INVENTOR. Joseph 14 [75% Mn Y PYQMW ATTORNEY FIG. 3

United States Patent 3,281,955 HAIR DRYER BONNET Joseph H. Clark, Jr., Trumbull, Conn, assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Filed Nov. 26, 1963, Ser. No. 325,863 Claims. (Cl. 3499) This invention relates to hair drying apparatus and more particularly to an improved hair bonnet adapted for use with a flexible air delivery hose.

Hair dryer bonnets of the large flexible type adapted for use with personal hair dryers including a flexible air delivery hose are currently being manufactured in large quantities. Thus, it is highly desirable that such bonnets be simple in construction to minimize the cost thereof while yet providing eflicient drying operation. At the same time, it is desirable that the bonnet be attractive and well made. Accordingly, it is a primary object of this invention to provide an improved low cost, large, flexible hair dryer bonnet having a unique but simple construction.

Such hair bonnets are preferably made sufficiently large so as to be spaced from the head of the user in order to adequately accommodate the large hair curlers which are currently being used with some hair styles. 0ne difficulty that has been encountered in using large flexible bonnets of the type known in the prior art is that the Weight of the air delivery hose tends to pull the portion of the bonnet adjacent the hose connection away from the users head causing the side of the bonnet opposite from that to which the hose is attached to be pressed against the users head. This action may restrict the airflow which hampers the drying operation and may result in a damp spot when the remainder of the hair has been adequately dried. It is highly desirable that such difliculty be avoided. Hence, it is a further object of this invention to provide an improved hair dryer bonnet which while in operation will remain adequately spaced from the users head to accommodate large hair styles, and to obtain uniform drying of the hair.

Briefly stated, the hair dryer bonnet assembly of the invention includes a support ring substantial-1y larger than the human head; a torus of flexible air impervious material having its outer boundary attached to the ring, and a flexible bonnet or head covering secured to the outer diameter of the torus and extending upwardly from the torus. The inner boundary of the torus is defined by a flexible band adapted to fit snugly over a human head to be positioned slightly below the hair line. Since the torus has a maximum diameter approximately equal to the ring diameter, the ring effectively spaces the outer boundary of the flexible torus from the users head. An air inlet is formed in the lower wall of the torus opening down wardly with respect to the position of the torus when on the head, and the inlet is adapted to be connected to a flexible air delivery hose. A plurality of air jet openings are formed in the upper surface of the torus to discharge air upwardly through the hair of the user, and the bonnet portion above the torus confines the air to the proximity of the head. An air outlet formed in the bonnet permits the escape of the moisture-laden air. Such construction provides efficient hair drying operation and further provides suflicient support for the air delivery hose so that Patented Nov. 1, 1966 the weight of the hose does not pull portions of the Donner against the users head to restrict air flow.

Further features, objects and advantages will become apparent with reference to the following drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the hair dryer bonnet assembly of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the lines 22 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the bonnet of FIG. 1 when in operation on a human head showing a portion of the bonnet assembly in cross-section and further showing the airflow through the bonnet.

Referring now to the drawings, the hair dryer bonnet assembly of the invention may be seen as including means defining an annular passage or torus 10 forming an air distributing channel or manifold. The torus is preferably made of two layers of thin, sheet-like, flexible material such as plastic, tightly woven cloth, or other similar, substantially air impervious material. The inner boundary or circumference ofv the torus defines an opening for permitting the torus to be placed on the head of a user, as can be seen in FIG. 3. To accommodate various head sizes a resilient band 11 of elastic or similar material may be sewn or otherwise attached to the inner boundary of the torus to insure an adjustable, relatively airtight fit. When the bonnet is not on a users head, the inner boundary of the torus assumes a position substantially smaller than a normal adult, human head, as seen in FIG. 1. To protect the users skin, the inner layer 12 of the head engaging band 11, as viewed. in FIG. 3, may be formed of a suitable soft material such as nylon or the like.

A rigid or semi-rigid ring 14 made of plastic, metal or other suitable material, is secured to the outer edge of the torus to give shape and support to the softer more flexible bonnet assembly, as will be later discussed in greater detail. Alternatively, the ring 14 may be encircled by the torus immediately within the torus outer circumferential boundary so that the ring urges the torus outwardly and holds it in a taut or extended position. The ring 14 has a circumference approximately equal to the maximum circumference of the torus and is substantially larger than a normal human head to insure that the bonnet assembly will be sufliciently large to accommodate the various hair styles. As can be seen from FIG. 2, the ring has a cross-section of small area with roughly a square shape with concave sides. Material of such construction is inexpensive and readily available, and yet provides the necessary support. Naturally, other crosssectional shapes may be utilized if desired.

Also secured to the outer edge of the torus 10 is a flexible bonnet 16 having a single layer portion extending upwardly from the torus. The upper end of the bonnet is drawn together by an adjustable draw string 18 to define an air outlet 20, as seen in FIG. 3. The draw string 18 may be secured in its adjusted position by means of a suitable retaining member 22. As a construction technique, the upper end of the bonnet may be doubled on itself to form layers 17 and 17a and secured by two seams l9 and 21 defining a slot for receiving and positioning the draw string 18. The material extending above the draw string including the scalloped upper edge serves primarily a decorative function. Similarly, the lower portion 16a of the bonnet is doubled on itself and extends a downwardly from the torus to define a circumferential skirt having a scalloped lower edge. Although the skirt is primarily provided for decoration purposes, 1ts weight does have some minor effect on the positioning of the bonnet.

The bonnet portion 16 may be permanently or removably secured to the torus 1t and the ring 14 in any suitable manner. In the arrangement shown in FIG. 2, the outer portion of the torus has been sewn at seams 24 and 26 to the bonnet 16. These seams define a circumferential slot or opening for receiving and positioning the ring 14.

The lower wall 10a of the torus 10 is provided with an air inlet opening 28 defined by a coupling member 30. The coupling member, which is made of plastic or other suitable material, is provided with a plurality of small Openings in its radially extending flange 32 so that the member 30 may be sewn to the bottom wall 10!: Intermediate the ring 14 and the head band 11. An annular layer of heavy material 34 may be secured to the bottom wall 10a and to the flange 32 of the coupling member 30 to provide-adequate support for the coupling and to prevent air leakage. The coupling member 30 is adapted to receive the end of a lightweight, flexible air delivery hose 36 preferably having a large diameter to handle adequate air flow. It is to be understood that the air delivery hose is connected to a suitable source of heated air such as any one of the well-known portable dryer power units.

The upper wall 10b of the torus is provided with a plurality of small apertures 38 spaced to form a series of openings positioned to direct the air more or less upwardly to pass through the users hair and be exhausted through the air outlet 20. It should be noted that the apertures in the distribution channel are positioned far enough away from the head engaging band to prevent the air from impinging directly on the scalp. Although the proper positioning is dependent on the size of the torus and other factors, in the arrangement of FIG. 3, the holes are located closer to the outer diameetr of the channel or ring 14 than tothe band 11. Such location also minimizes the possibility of an aperture being blocked by one of the folds 13. These apertures are of equal size and are equally spaced around the torus to provide uniform air distribution. However, it should be understood that the apertures can be of various sizes and spaced in the manner desired to obtain a particular airflow pattern. In the arrangement shown, 34 holes each with a %2 inch diameter are provided.

When air is not being supplied, the torus naturally collapses to a flattened state in view of the soft flexible material employed. When the hair bonnet assembly is in operation on a human head 40, as in FIG. 3, the air entering through hose 36 into the torus 10 causes the torus to tend to assume a shape having a roughly circular crosssection although the exact shape is dependent on the air pressure, the size and number of air holes 38, and the size of the users head. As shown by the arrow in the drawing, the air escapes upwardly through the openings 38 and passes in and around the curls 42 before being exhausted through the top air outlet 20. It should be noted that the apertures 38 are positioned so that the drying air is not directed toward the scalp but instead is directed somewhat tangentially to the head to pass through the hair.

Since the torus and the support ring are vital elements of the invention, specific dimensions of a preferred form shown in the drawings will be given. To space the honnet adequately from the head so as to accommodate large hair styles, the diameter of ring 14 and the outer diameter of the torus are each approximately eleven inches, thus defining a closed boundary of approximately thirtyfour to thirty-five inches. The radial dimension of the torus when not on the users head and in the uninflated condition shown in FIG. 1 is typically about three inches,

thus making the torus inner diameter roughly five inches with an inner boundary of roughly sixtecn inches. Considering the size of a typical human head, it can be realized that the ring and the outer edge of the torus remain adequately spaced about two inches from the head when the bonnet is placed on the head. Naturally these dimen sions can be varied somewhat and satisfactory results will still be obtained. Also, it is not essential that the inner boundary be perfectly circular since the typical head is not circular.

The hair bonnet assembly may be fabricated in the manner desired; however, a preferred method will be described. The bonnet portion 16 is formed from a flat blank or piece of rectangular material which is folded and sewn or otherwise connected into its finished shape. As already explained, the upper portion of the rectangular sheet is doubled upon itself and sewn in this position by the two parallel seams 19 and 21 which define a slot for receiving and positioning the draw string 18, and the lower portion of the rectangular blank is doubled on itself and connected by seams 24 and 26.

The torus may also be formed from a substantially rectangular blank or sheet of material. After the air discharge opening-s 38 and the air inlet 28 have been cut, the blank is folded upon itself along its longitudinal axis. The short edges of this double layer of material are then sealed by a seam, and the then semi-finished torus is placed into position on the bonnet blank 16. The free edges 10c and 10d of the unfinished torus are aligned with the lower edg'e 16b of the bonnet portion 16 as can be seen in FIG. 2. When in this position, the seams 24 and 26 are formed in the spaced parallel relation shown to serve a three-fold function. In addition to having the lower portion of the bonnet secured in its doubled position by the seams, the torus 10 is secured to the bonnet 16 and the seams define a circumferential slot or groove adapted to position and receive the support ring 14.

In the next assembly step, the bonnet portion 16 is formed into its cylindrical shape by making a vertical seam along the free edges of the bonnet, and the elastic band 11 is sewn into the edge of the torus eventuallyforming the inner boundary of the torus. As can be seen from FIG. 1, the band causes the material to be bunched or gathered along the inner edge forming folds or pleats 13 which permit the torus to fit various head sizes. Subsequently, the semi-rigid ring in strip form is inserted into the slot between seams 24 and 26 and the ends of the strip are secured by a suitable sleeve fitting over the loose ends to form the ring shape. If desired, the two ends of the torus maybe joined to prevent air leakage. As another finishing step, the draw string 18 is threaded through the slot in the upper portion of the bonnet.

from the foregoing, it maybe noted that air communication is not maintained throughout the entire air passage of the torus in that the shorter ends of the blank forming the torus were independently sealed. Nevertheless, it has been found in operation that the air pressure and air velocity characteristics are such that adequate and uniform air distribution is obtained throughout the torus even though the ends are closed. Further, it has been found that it is not absolutely necessary to have the air inlet 28 positioned midway between the closed ends of the torus so as to obtain what might appear to be a balanced arrangement. In other words, even though the outlet 28 may be somewhat closer to one end than the other, uniform distribution is still obtained. In any event, it should be understood that for purposes of this specification the word torus includes such closed end construction as well as a complete air ring.

In the event the decorative skirt portion 16a of the bonnet is not desired, and the entire assembly is to be made of the same material, a simpler less costly construction method may be employed. For example, a single sheet of material may be doubled on itself at its lower end and connected by a seam in this position to form the torus. The support ring 14 may be inserted in the torus adjacent the seam and an elastic band secured to the lower edge to form the inner diameter of the torus.

One of the unique features or benefits from the hair dryer construction of the invention which has been shown and described is that during use the outer edge of the air distribution ring or torus remains adequately spaced from the users head so that rapid and unifiorm drying of the hair is obtained. The torus is initially positioned in the manner shown by means of the support ring 14 and the elastic band 11. During operation, the inflation of the torus also helps maintain the proper spacing. The weight of the air hose 36, however, produces a torque on the bonnet around an imaginary axis extending in an area approximately through the users ears. Such torque tends to pull the front of the bonnet toward the users hair. Attaching the hose as shown in the bottom wall of the torus 10, which is about as close to the head as possible, minimizes the moment arm and thus the torque produced. Also, with such attaching location, the hose is normallypartially supported on the users back or shoulder. The net result is that the semi-rigid ring 14 and the outer edge of the torus are restrained from moving more closely towards the users head. Thus, the air discharge apertures 38 remain unblocked in all areas of the ring thereby insuring uniform air distribution.

Introducing air into the bonnet may cause the upper bonnet portion 16 to billow outwardly somewhat to affect air circulation in and around the hair. The amount of billowing is of course determined by the air pressure and the weight of the material employed. With lightweight, air impervious material, such as plastic, the bonnet portion 16 is considerably inflated. With a heavier material, which may. even be slightly porous, if made of cloth for example, the billowing eflect is not so great, but adequate air distribution is nevertheless obtained. The top air outlet opening can of course be adjusted to obtain the most eflicient air outlet size consistent with the material used in the bonnet and consistent with the size of the users head and the style of hair-do. Also, the adjustable opening is advantageous for permitting the user to reach in to test the dryness of the hair as the drying operation proceeds.

It was previously mentioned that the torus may be releasably secured to the bonnet portion. This may be accomplished by any suitable means. Such construction offers several possible advantages and points out the uniqueness and versatility of the basic bonnet assembly of the invention. For example, if the torus is made of plastic and the bonnet portion of cloth, the bonnet portion can be removed and washed separately. As another possibility, the bonnet portions may be made of disposable material; or a person can have several different bonnet portions each having a diiierent ornamental appearance so that the bonnet may be selected to suit the occasion.

While .a'specific embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it should be understood that various other modifications will come to the mind of one skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended that all such variations and modifications that fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention be included within the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. A hair dryer bonnet assembly comprising: a support ring substantially larger than the human head; a torus of flexible air impervious material having an outer boundary secured to said ring for said ring to hold said outer boundary of said torus away from the head of the user and an inner boundary defining a flexible head engaging band; an air inlet in the lower wall of said torus positioned between said ring and said band; said inlet being adapted to be connected to a source of drying air; a plurality of air jet openings in the upper surface of said torus to discharge air generally upwardly through the hair of the user; flexible bonnet means secured to the outer portion of said torus and extending upwardly from said torus to confine the air to the proximity of the head; and air outlet means formed in said bonnet means for allowing the escape of the moisture-laden air.

2. A hair dryer bonnet assembly comprising: a support ring substantially larger than the human head; a torus of flexible air impervious material of a maximum diameter approximately equal to said ring diameter and having its outer edge secured to said ring for said ring to hold said outer edge of said torus away from the head of the user; said torus having an inner boundary defining a flexible head engaging band, an air inlet positioned in the lower wall of said torus inwardly from said ring opening generally downwardly with respect to the position of said torus when on the head, said inlet being adapted to be connected to a flexible air delivery hose; a .plurality of air outlet openings spaced in the upper surface of said torus to discharge air upwardly around the head of the user; a layer of flexible material secured to the outer portion of said torus and extending upwardly from said torus to confine the air to the proximity of the head; means attached to the upper end of the layer of flexible material for drawing the upper ends inwardly to define an adjustable air outlet for allowing the escape of moisture-laden air.

3. A hair dryer bonnet assembly comprising: a torus of flexible plastic air impervious material of a maximum diameter substantially larger than the human head, a support ring attached to the outer boundary of the torus for said ring to hold said outer boundary of said torus away from the head of the user; a flexible head engaging band defining the inner edge of said torus; an air inlet positioned in the lower wall of said torus inwardly from said ring opening downwardly wit-h respect to the position of said torus when on the head; said inlet being adapted to be connected to a flexible air delivery hose, a plurality of air outlet openings spaced in the upper surface of said torus to discharge air upwardly around the head of the user; a single layer of flexible material secured to the outer boundary of said torus :and extending upwardly from said torus to confine the air to the proximity of the head; and air outlet means defined by said layer of material for allowing the escape of moisture-laden air.

4. A hair dryer bonnet assembly comprising: a torus of flexible lair impervious material having a maximum diameter of approximately eleven inches; a support ring attached to the outer edge of the torus to hold the outer edge spaced from a users head; a flexible band secured to the inner edge of said torus to define an adjustable opening with a boundary of approximately sixteen inches so that when the torus is placed around the users head the band will snugly engage the head; an air inlet'positioned in the lower wall of said torus inwardly from said ring opening and adapted to be connected to a flexible air delivery hose; a plurality of air outlet openings spaced in the upper surface of said torus to discharge air upwardly around the head of the user; a layer of flexible material secured to the outer portion of said torus and extending upwardly from said torus to confine the air to the proximity of the head; means attached to the upper end of the layer of flexible material for drawing the upper ends inwardly to define an adjustable air outlet for allowing the escape of moisture-laden. air.

5. A hair dryer bonnet assembly comprising: a support ring substantially larger than the human head; a double layer of flexible air impervious material arranged to define an annular air passage, said air passage material having an outer boundary substantially equal to and secured to said ring for said ring to hold said outer boundary of said torus away from the head of the user; a flexible head engaging band secured to said air passage material to define an inner boundary;-an air inlet in one source of drying air; a series of spaced air jet openings 7 '8 4 layer of said air passage material between the ring and References Cited by the Examiner the 'band, said inlet being adapted to be connected to a UNITED STATES PATENTS in the other layer of said air passage material between the 2,221,822 11/1940 Tays 3499 ring and the band to discharge air through the hair of 5 FOREIGN PATENTS the user; flexible bonnet means secured to the ring and the material forming the outer boundary of the passage 921,287 3/1963 Great Bntam' to confine the I311 to the proxumty of the user s head; and FREDERICK L. M ATTESON, JR" Primary Examinerair outlet means formed in said bonnet means for allowing the escape of the moisture-laden air. 10 A. D. HERRMANN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. HAIR DRYER BONNET ASSEMBLY COMPRISING: A SUPPORT RING SUBSTANTIALLY LARGER THAN THE HUMAN HEAD; A TORUS OF FLEXIBLE AIR IMPERVIOUS MATERIAL HAVING AN OUTER BOUNDARY SECURED TO SAID RING FOR SAID RING TO HOLD SAID OUTER BOUNDARY TO SAID TORUS AWAY FROM THE HEAD OF THE USER AND AN INNER BOUNDARY DEFINING A FLEXIBLE HEAD ENGAGING BAND; AN AIR INLET IN THE LOWER WAL OF SAID TORUS POSITIONED BETWEEN SAID RING AND SAID BAND; SAID INLET BEING ADAPTED TO BE CONNECTED TO A SOURCE OF DRYING AIR; A PLURALITY OF AIR JET OPENINGS IN THE UPPER SURFACE OF SAID TORUS TO DISCHARGE AIR GENERALLY UPWARDLY THROUGH THE HAIR OF THE USER; FLEXIBLE BONNET MEANS SECURED TO THE OUTER PORTION OF SAID TORUS AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM SAID TORUS TO CONFINE TO AIR TO THE PROXIMITY OF THE HEAD; AND AIR OUTLET MEANS FORMED IN SAID BONNET MEANS FOR ALLOWING THE ESCAPE OF THE MOISTURE-LADEN AIR. 